Watch Manager, Road Safety/Virtual Reality - Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service

“Reality in Virtual Reality”

Paul Speight joined Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service in 1988. After serving 16 years at different fire and rescue stations as a firefighter and Crew Manager, he transferred into the Community Safety Support Team as Watch Manager.

Paul has worked closely with Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Road Safety Partnership, where his successful bid for funding enabled him to develop and create the VF4 -360 film.

Paul started to look at newly emerging Virtual Reality (VR) technology which immerses wearers in totally lifelike scenarios. Spotting an opportunity to work with market leaders in this technology, he approached Samsung and First Car Magazine who jumped on board with his latest project, the VF4 360.

After the success of his first venture into the virtual world Paul was contacted by Alex Harvey from RiVR in 2016 after several meeting they have created a proof of concept VR interactive photorealistic training environment.

Paul will take you on a journey into VR over the last 18 months, specifically within the Fire Service, showing you what we have achieved and how we did it. As well as looking ahead to the not too distant future of VR and AR and the methods and practices being used to capture, create and design the training environments of the future.